Has your new hand hygiene regime affected the quality of your skin? Approximately 800,000 Australians currently suffer with eczema with numbers expected to increase due to excess hand washing due to COVID-19.
To help you avoid hand eczema and drying, here are some tips to encourage supple, soft hands.
1. Avoid Soaps
Dermatologist Professor Rod Sinclair emphasises the importance of hand washing as the most important step to killing the virus. "But if you have hand eczema or vulnerable hands you can certainly overdo it", he warns.
For this reason, selecting the right product is important. Soaps (in bar and liquid form) are known for stripping the skin of natural oils. The reason for this is due to the high level of fats and oils used in the formulation of soaps. When we expose our skin to frequent washing and antibacterial gels we reduce the skin's precious oils which provide our skin with natural protection and hydration.
2. Use a Cleansing Bar
While a cleansing bar may look just like a soap, its benefits lie in its formulation. Formulated with pH neutral ingredients, cleansing bars effectively cleanse without leaving a dry or chalky residue like a soap can. Cleansing bars contain less oils and fats compared to soaps. They utilise a gentle lather to lift and wash away impurities without allowing them to reattach. Nourishing ingredients then act to support and hydrate the skin rather than dry it out, all while supporting the all-important acid mantle.
3. Moisturise after washing
When the skin is hydrated it can better protect itself from the symptoms of dry skin. Professor Sinclair advises thoroughly drying and moisturising hands after washing. “If we put moisturiser on 5 times or 10 times a day - the more the better," advises Sinclair.
A moisturiser which contains a blend of hydrating and barrier protective ingredients is vital for repairing and restoring water levels. Moisture locking ingredients include Colloidal Oatmeal, glycerine, vitamin E and aloe vera. We recommend keeping a hand cream or nourishing lotion handy for some post-hand washing TLC.
4. Maintain the pH balance
Natural ingredients such as Colloidal Oatmeal are generally less alkaline which do not disrupt the pH of the skin. The pH of our skin directly impacts the acid mantle which is responsible for protecting our skin against external influences such as bacteria, pollution and allergens. It also counteracts the effects of nasty skin care ingredients. For our skin to remain balanced, the acid mantle will need to remain at a slightly acidic pH level of 4.5-5.5. Therefore a cleansing bar, which is a soap-less soap (when compared to a regular soap) is best for the pH of the skin.
5. Ingredients to look for
Professor Sinclair suggests keeping it simple in terms of ingredients as "Some people will be allergic to fragrance or will find the preservatives in the moisturisers can sting... the simpler the better".
- Natural Colloidal Oatmeal: Long used for its ability to hold water on the skin, this moisture locking ingredient can deliver similar anti-inflammatory and healing results to topical steroid creams without the negative effects of long term use
- Sodium PCA: A natural humectant known for holding several times its weight in water, to support optimal hydration levels within the skin
- Citric Acid: Breaks down the protein bonds between dead and living skin cells, causing the older, dead cells to lift away revealing the younger cells beneath
- Vitamin E: Delivers antioxidants to the outer layers of the skin. Vitamin E helps to reduce free radical damage and protects the body’s cells therefore protecting the skin against ageing, inflammation, and sun damage
Designed specifically for dry skin, pH balanced Dermavive Dry Skin Cleansing Bar contains a unique formulation designed to replenish hydration levels without stripping the skin of vital oils like regular soaps can. Dermavive Dry Skin Cleansing Bar is fragrance, soap, paraben (preservative) and lanolin free, and will not cause irritation or drying due to the nourishing benefits of Colloidal Oatmeal and natural moisturisers.
This dermatologically endorsed cleansing bar can be used when washing hands to actively wash away bacteria and impurities ensuring the skin’s environment is not conducive for bacteria or infections. Soap-less soaps can be used safely by all ages for dry skin relief and as a preventative remedy.
Are you ready to ditch dry hands and replenish your skin with a cleansing bar that not only washes away germs but supports your skin? If you are ready to experience the nourishing benefits of Colloidal Oatmeal you can purchase your Dermavive Dry Skin Cleansing Bar here.